Autumn Downey on wed 22 aug 12
I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
(I have stamps, but would prefer relief.) A local potter has made some
markers and he has some rubber molds for individual letters which he
uses and sprigs onto the clay. Says these are more or less impossible
to find now. The web has turned up nothing from my searches.
The other way that could work would be to find lettering (not reversed)
and make a plaster cast of it. I see some lettering like that on the
web for people who make concrete stepping stones but it appears to be
quite expensive - and then there's the likely problem of not having
enough of certain letters.
Hoping someone has had some experience or ideas for adaptive use of
other items. I'm thinking NOT alphabet soup, but you never know.
Thanks,
Autumn Downey
James Freeman on thu 23 aug 12
On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 12:58 AM, Autumn Downey wrote=
:
I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
Autumn...
I am doing a similar thing, but my project is a historical marker (of
sorts). At Walmart, in the toy aisle, they sell plastic letters with
magnets inside for little kids to write things on the refrigerator door
with. They had a couple of different sizes/fonts when I bought mine, and a
whole package of them was only $1. I rolled a thick slab of clay, then one
by one sprayed the letters with WD-40 and pressed them into the clay. I
fired the slab, and now have my reversed press mold. I can post a photo of
it if you wish, but I think it's pretty self-explanatory.
If you want letters with less relief, Hobby Lobby and Michaels sell bags of
inexpensive die-cut wooden letters made to glue onto plaques and such,
though I found the fonts to be a bit to cutesy.
The other great thing about getting the letters from Walmart is that while
you are there, you get to see some really sweet neck tattoos, mullets, and
really large people spilling out of really small pants and tops. Far fewer
of those sights at Hobby Lobby!
Hope it helps.
...James
James Freeman
"Talk sense to a fool, and he calls you foolish."
-Euripides
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
gsomdahl on thu 23 aug 12
My grandchildren have magnetized plastic letters (about 2 inches tall)
on their refrigerator. These would be great positives that could be cast
in plaster. Check out a toy store.
Gene
On 08/22/2012 11:58 PM, Autumn Downey wrote:
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
> lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
> unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
>
> Autumn Downey
>
--
This is a post only account. Send replies to "gene" at my ".com" domain nam=
ed "somdahl".
JRodgers on thu 23 aug 12
James, All, have you ever watched any of the "Walmart Shoppers" videos
on Youtube? They are hilarious!!
John
On 8/23/2012 6:33 AM, James Freeman wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 12:58 AM, Autumn Downey wro=
te:
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
> lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
> unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
>
>
>
>
> Autumn...
>
> I am doing a similar thing, but my project is a historical marker (of
> sorts). At Walmart, in the toy aisle, they sell plastic letters with
> magnets inside for little kids to write things on the refrigerator door
> with. They had a couple of different sizes/fonts when I bought mine, and=
a
> whole package of them was only $1. I rolled a thick slab of clay, then o=
ne
> by one sprayed the letters with WD-40 and pressed them into the clay. I
> fired the slab, and now have my reversed press mold. I can post a photo =
of
> it if you wish, but I think it's pretty self-explanatory.
>
> If you want letters with less relief, Hobby Lobby and Michaels sell bags =
of
> inexpensive die-cut wooden letters made to glue onto plaques and such,
> though I found the fonts to be a bit to cutesy.
>
> The other great thing about getting the letters from Walmart is that whil=
e
> you are there, you get to see some really sweet neck tattoos, mullets, an=
d
> really large people spilling out of really small pants and tops. Far few=
er
> of those sights at Hobby Lobby!
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> ...James
>
> James Freeman
>
> "Talk sense to a fool, and he calls you foolish."
> -Euripides
>
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
>
Martha Barker on thu 23 aug 12
We actually used the pasta letters from alphabet soup, and the results
are mighty fine. The pasta, of course, burns away, and, if you have
pressed the letters in to their full depth they leave a nice clear image.
Martha
(Esther's friend)
On 22/08/2012 9:58 PM, Autumn Downey wrote:
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
> lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
> unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
>
> (I have stamps, but would prefer relief.) A local potter has made some
> markers and he has some rubber molds for individual letters which he
> uses and sprigs onto the clay. Says these are more or less impossible
> to find now. The web has turned up nothing from my searches.
>
> The other way that could work would be to find lettering (not reversed)
> and make a plaster cast of it. I see some lettering like that on the
> web for people who make concrete stepping stones but it appears to be
> quite expensive - and then there's the likely problem of not having
> enough of certain letters.
>
> Hoping someone has had some experience or ideas for adaptive use of
> other items. I'm thinking NOT alphabet soup, but you never know.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Autumn Downey
>
Martha Barker on thu 23 aug 12
Whoops! What was I thinking? Alphabet soup letters pressed IN would be
the negative image, not the relief I ssume you're after.
Sorry.
Martha
On 22/08/2012 9:58 PM, Autumn Downey wrote:
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of
> lettering. I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for some
> unmarked graves in my families cemetery.
>
> (I have stamps, but would prefer relief.) A local potter has made some
> markers and he has some rubber molds for individual letters which he
> uses and sprigs onto the clay. Says these are more or less impossible
> to find now. The web has turned up nothing from my searches.
>
> The other way that could work would be to find lettering (not reversed)
> and make a plaster cast of it. I see some lettering like that on the
> web for people who make concrete stepping stones but it appears to be
> quite expensive - and then there's the likely problem of not having
> enough of certain letters.
>
> Hoping someone has had some experience or ideas for adaptive use of
> other items. I'm thinking NOT alphabet soup, but you never know.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Autumn Downey
>
Taylor Hendrix on thu 23 aug 12
Not a problem, Martha. Just press the letters in backwards!
Taylor, in Rockport TX
wirerabbit1 on Skype (-0600 UTC)
http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirerabbit/
https://youtube.com/thewirerabbit
On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 10:04 AM, Martha Barker wrote:
> Whoops! What was I thinking? Alphabet soup letters pressed IN would be
> the negative image, not the relief I ssume you're after.
>
> Sorry.
>
> Martha
>
>
David Hendley on thu 23 aug 12
Geez, are we artists here on ClayART?
How about MAKING your own lettering guides? You can then have
exactly the size you want and the choice of font is pretty much infinite.
I have made my own letters many times and it's not hard. Simply
print out the lettering you want on cardstock, cut out the letters, and
you have templates for either making clay letters from slabs or carving
relief letters, positive or negative.
If you have and know how to use a graphic design program you
can fine-tune your templates to get precisely what you want, such
as thicker letters, taller letters, and so on. For larger templates
print out only the outlines so you don't use lots of unnecessary ink.
Of course if you will be doing lots of clay-writing, you can make
casts of anything.
Here is a website that offers many interesting fonts, all free for
personal use, most also free for commercial use:
http://www.dafont.com/
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
http://www.thewahooligans.com
Martha Barker on thu 23 aug 12
Well, of course, and I have made some for the few projects I have that
need them.. I thought everyone was looking for a quick fix.
Martha
On 23/08/2012 10:53 AM, David Hendley wrote:
> Geez, are we artists here on ClayART?
> How about MAKING your own lettering guides? You can then have
> exactly the size you want and the choice of font is pretty much infinite.
>
> I have made my own letters many times and it's not hard. Simply
> print out the lettering you want on cardstock, cut out the letters, and
> you have templates for either making clay letters from slabs or carving
> relief letters, positive or negative.
> If you have and know how to use a graphic design program you
> can fine-tune your templates to get precisely what you want, such
> as thicker letters, taller letters, and so on. For larger templates
> print out only the outlines so you don't use lots of unnecessary ink.
> Of course if you will be doing lots of clay-writing, you can make
> casts of anything.
> Here is a website that offers many interesting fonts, all free for
> personal use, most also free for commercial use:
> http://www.dafont.com/
>
> David Hendley
> david@farmpots.com
> http://www.farmpots.com
> http://www.thewahooligans.com
>
>
Frank Gaydos on fri 24 aug 12
I have some letters that were made for the old black velvet display cases w=
=3D
here it would have a company name followed by the office number in the hall=
=3D
way. Turns out I think they are porcelain . I stuck them in a clay slab and=
=3D
fired to cone 04 and they survived just fine. I think you get them from St=
=3D
aples or some-such .=3D20
Frank Gaydos=3D20
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as=3D20
when they do it from religious conviction"=3D20
Blaise Pascal.=3D20
http ://home.comcast.net/~ frankgaydos /index. html=3D20
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martha Barker" =3D20
To: Clayart @ LSV .CERAMICS.ORG=3D20
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2012 11:04:31 AM=3D20
Subject: Re: relief lettering=3D20
Whoops! =3DC2=3DA0What was I thinking? =3DC2=3DA0Alphabet soup letters pres=
sed IN w=3D
ould be=3D20
the negative image, not the relief I ssume you're after.=3D20
Sorry.=3D20
Martha=3D20
On 22/08/2012 9:58 PM, Autumn Downey wrote:=3D20
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a not too expensive source of=3D20
> lettering. =3DC2=3DA0I am thinking of trying to make grave markers for so=
me=3D
=3D20
> unmarked graves in my families cemetery.=3D20
>=3D20
> (I have stamps, but would prefer relief.) =3DC2=3DA0A local potter has ma=
de s=3D
ome=3D20
> markers and he has some rubber molds for individual letters which he=3D20
> uses and sprigs onto the clay. =3DC2=3DA0Says these are more or less impo=
ssib=3D
le=3D20
> to find now. =3DC2=3DA0The web has turned up nothing from my searches.=3D=
20
>=3D20
> The other way that could work would be to find lettering (not reversed)=
=3D
=3D20
> and make a plaster cast of it. =3DC2=3DA0I see some lettering like that o=
n th=3D
e=3D20
> web for people who make concrete stepping stones but it appears to be=3D2=
0
> quite expensive - and then there's the likely problem of not having=3D20
> enough of certain letters.=3D20
>=3D20
> Hoping someone has had some experience or ideas for adaptive use of=3D20
> other items. =3DC2=3DA0I'm thinking NOT alphabet soup, but you never know=
.=3D20
>=3D20
> Thanks,=3D20
>=3D20
> Autumn Downey=3D20
>=3D20
Deborah Thuman on fri 24 aug 12
Have you checked stores like Hobby Lobby or Jo-Ann's? They may have cut =3D
out wooden letters. You could use the letters to make plaster molds.=3D20
Deb Thuman
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DebThuman
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529715986
Christina Leake on fri 24 aug 12
=3D
What about cookie cutters?=3DA0 They come in all sizes.=3D0AChris Leake=3D0=
A=3D0A=3D
=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=3D0A From: David Hendley FARMPO=3D
TS.COM>=3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0ASent: Thursday, August 23, 20=
12 1=3D
0:53 AM=3D0ASubject: Re: relief lettering=3D0A =3D0AGeez, are we artists he=
re on =3D
ClayART?=3D0AHow about MAKING your own lettering guides? You can then have=
=3D0A=3D
exactly the size you want and the choice of font is pretty much infinite.=
=3D
=3D0A=3D0AI have made my own letters many times and it's not hard. Simply=
=3D0Apri=3D
nt out the lettering you want on cardstock, cut out the letters, and=3D0Ayo=
u =3D
have templates for either making clay letters from slabs or carving=3D0Arel=
ie=3D
f letters, positive or negative.=3D0AIf you have and know how to use a grap=
hi=3D
c design program you=3D0Acan fine-tune your templates to get precisely what=
y=3D
ou want, such=3D0Aas thicker letters, taller letters, and so on. For larger=
t=3D
emplates=3D0Aprint out only the outlines so you don't use lots of unnecessa=
ry=3D
ink.=3D0AOf course if you will be doing lots of clay-writing, you can make=
=3D
=3D0Acasts of anything.=3D0AHere is a website that offers many interesting =
font=3D
s, all free for=3D0Apersonal use, most also free for commercial use:=3D0Aht=
tp:/=3D
/www.dafont.com/=3D0A=3D0ADavid Hendley=3D0Adavid@farmpots.com=3D0Ahttp://w=
ww.farmp=3D
ots.com=3D0Ahttp://www.thewahooligans.com
Autumn Downey on sat 25 aug 12
Thanks everyone for suggestions - I was to the city yesterday and got
some lettering from Michael's which may work for casting - or I could
try the carving a relief method that Peggy and others have suggested.
It might prove simplest after all - even though I am not always good at
clean lines. Since it's all an experiment, I'll look forward to seeing
what happens.
Autumn Downey
| |
|
